1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to reification of virtual concepts into physical devices having manipulative user interfaces.
2. Description of Related Art
This invention is related to co-pending application, Ser. Nos. 08/921,274, now U.S. Patent No. 6,243,075; Ser. No. 08/920,443, now U.S. Patent No. 6,268,857; Ser. No. 08/921,414, now abandoned; Ser. No. 08/920,378, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,243,074; Ser. No. 08/920,363, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,297,838; Ser. No. 08/920,981, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,297,805; and Ser. No. 08/921,390, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,340,957, each incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. These applications disclose manipulatable computer user interfaces (MIUI).
A wide variety of smart cards exist which can interact with computers and computer systems, including networked computer systems. These smart cards are usually inserted into a computer and provide electronic signals representative of predetermined information, such as personal characteristics of an individual, financial information about an individual, security clearance of an individual, etc.
Typically, smart cards have a definite size and shape. The computer device with which they are designed to work has a receptacle for accepting the smart card to permit transfer of information between the smart card and the computer. Smart cards are not physically manipulated, i.e., they retain their unique physical shape and orientation while they interact with a computer device. Smart cards are also designed to fit into a specific receptacle, and the information they convey to the computer or receive from the computer does not change depending on where they are located with respect to the computer with which they are designed to interact.